Republic of the Philippines

MARINDUQUE STATE COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF GOVERNANCE
Panfilo Manguera Sr. Rd., Tanza, Boac, Marinduque 4900 (Main Campus)
Tel. No.: 332-03-23 Email Address: [email protected]
Website: www.marinduquestatecollege.edu.ph

Module 2.3

Chapter 2: Literary Genres

Literature According to Form (PROSE)

Learning Objectives:

 Differentiate/compare and contrast the various 21st century literary genres and the ones
from the earlier genres/periods citing their elements, structures and traditions.
 Infer literary meaning from literal language based on usage.
 Analyze the figures of speech and other literary techniques and devices in the text.
 Explain the literary, biographical, linguistic and sociocultural contexts and discuss how
they enhance the texts meaning and enrich the reader’s understanding.

PROSE

- consists of writing that does not adhere to any particular formal structures (other than
grammar); "non poetic writing," writing. The term sometimes appear pejoratively, but
prosaic writing simply says something without necessarily trying to say it in a beautiful
words. Prose writing can take beautiful form; but less by virtue, placement, or inclusion
of graphics.

It is the ordinary form of written language. It is one of the major genres of literature and
occurs in two forms: fiction and nonfiction. Most writing that is not poetry, drama or song is
considered prose.

Types and Forms

FICTION - is prose writing that tells about imaginary characters and events. (Some writers base
their fiction on actual events and people, to which they add invented characters, dialogue,
settings, and plots. Other writers of fiction rely on imagination alone to provide their materials.)

1. Short Story- is a brief work of fiction. It presents a sequence of events, or plot. The plot
usually deals with a central conflict faced by the main character, or protagonist. It is concise and
creates a single effect or dominant impression to the reader. The events in the short story usually
communicate a message about life or human nature. This message or central idea is called the
heart of the story or the theme.
Strategies for Reading Short Story

To read a short story successfully, you must be actively involved by thinking about the
story as you read. Its content is a slice of life, an experience that is blended in the writer’s
opinions and beliefs. This experience of literary value exudes from within the person-from any
external or internal complications. His close encounters of life's challenges. You must bring
ideas to mind by stopping to ask questions and to predict what will happen. You occasionally
pause to answer your questions and check your predictions and to summarize what happened.
The following strategies will help you identify what is significant in a story and what makes
the story worth reading.

 Question. Before you begin, think about what you expect to happen in the story, What
does the title suggest to you? As you read, you might ask yourself questions about what is
happening. What causes the events to occur as they do? What are the characters like? Is
the setting or place important? Why does the author include certain information? Then
look for the answers to your questions as you read on.

 Predict. Bring your own experience to the story. Consider what you already know about
similar situations or people in your own life. Use your knowledge of how stories work.
Then try to predict what will happen based on what you already know. As you read on,
you will find out if your predictions are correct.

 Clarify. When something in the story is not clear or does not seem to make sense, stop
and try to clarify the confusion. Look for the answers to your questions, and check your
predictions. By continually clarifying in these ways, you will be able to get meaning from
a story.

 Summarize. Occasionally pause to review what has happened so far. Identify what
seems important, and try to determine how that piece of information works with
everything else in terms of how the story is developing.

 Pull It Together. Try to determine the central idea or point of the story. What did the
story say to you? How do you feel about the story?

Elements of the Short Story

 Character
 Setting
 Plot
 Point of View
 Theme
 Style
 Character- is a person or animal who takes part in the action of a short story. 1he main
character is called the protagonist. He/She is the one exposed to conflict and is
responsible to prove his/ her worth and to accomplish a mission. He/She must give life to
the story and to be an instrument contributory to the bringing home of the message as
relayed by the writer. What happens to the protagonist is usually the focus of the literary
work. In most short stories, the protagonist struggles against another major character who
is called the antagonist.

Other characters who play important roles may be major characters-or minor
characters who play less roles. They take part in the story's events but are not as important.
Characters can be flat or round, depending on what the story reveals about them.

Kinds of Character

 Protagonist
 Antagonist
 Major
 Minor
 Static
 Dynamic
 Flat
 Round

Qualities of a Good Character

 Credible
 Sympathetic
 Vital
 Properly motivated

Elements of Character

A well-developed character-just like a real person has many different traits, or

characteristics. The following are some traits that help a reader understand a character fully:

1. Appearance: What does the character look like? What does the character wear? What can you
learn about the character from his or her appearance?

2. Personality: Does the character tend to be emotional or rational? shy or outgoing? talented or
clumsy? happy? or sad? caring? or cold? leader or a follower? Honest or dishonest?

3. Background: Where did the character grow up? What experiences has he or she had? What is
the character's social status? Occupation? How much schooling has the character had? What are
his or her hobbies or skills?
4. Motivation: What makes the character like or dislike? What are the character's wishes, goals,
desires, dreams, and needs?

5. Relationship: How is the character related to other characters in the work? How does the
characțer interact with other characters? Does the character have many friends or many enemies?

6. Conflict: Is the character involved in some struggle? If so, is this an internal conflict one that
takes place in the character's mind or an external conflict-a struggle between the character and
some outside force? Is the conflict ever resolved? If so, how?

7. Change: Does the character you are dealing with-the main character, another major character,
or a minor character?

8. Plot: Is the sequence of events of the story. The events center on a conflict that may be
external (outside the character) or internal (inside the character). The conflict reaches a climax
that is finally resolved at the end, sometimes through a surprising turn of events.

Kinds of Plot

1. Traditional/Conventional - is often conceived of as a moving through five distinct sections

or stages: exposition, complication, crisis, falling action and resolution.

Exposition is the beginning section in which the author provides the necessary
background/information, sets the scene, establishes the situation, and dates the action. It
usually introduces the characters and the conflicts or at least the something potential for
conflict.
Complication is sometimes referred to as the rising action. It develops and intensifies the
conflict.
Climax is the moment at which the plot reaches its point of greatest emotional intensity.
It is the turning point of the plot, directly precipitating its resolution.
Falling Action once the climax or turning point has been reached, the tension subsides
and the plot moves toward its conclusion.
Resolution or Denouement is the final section. It records the outcome of the conflict and
establishes some new equilibrium. It is also referred to as the conclusion. Denouement is
a French word which means "unknotting" or "untying".

The Ordering of Plot

The customary way of ordering the episodes or events in a plot is to present them
chronologically, that is in the order of their occurrence in time. Although the main direction of
the plot may be chronological and forward, the author is under no obligation, whatsoever to
make his plot conform to any scheme or pattern but his own. The key point to remember about
plot is that it is open to infinite variety. The only requirement that the writer of the fiction dares
not to shrink is that the plot be interesting.
2. Unconventional Plot- Unfolding of events may begin in any section in this kind of plot. The
most frequently and conventionally used device for interrupting the flow of a chronologically
ordered plot are the flashback and foreshadowing.

Special Techniques of Plot (Also called Literary devices in fiction)

Flashback- This literary device dramatically presents (often by means of a character's

recollections, dreams or reveries-this is a section in a story where the action is interrupted
to tell about an earlier event) scenes or incidents which took place prior to the beginning
of the plot.
Foreshadowing- This plotting device puts in a detail or details at the earlier part of the
story, the purpose of which is to insinuate the possible outcome of the story. (This is a
hint or clue about an event that will occur later in the story).
Suspense - This is the feeling of excitement or tension in the reader's experiences as the
action of the plot unfolds. A writer creates suspense by raising questions in the reader's
mind.
Surprise ending-This is an ending that catches the reader off guard with an unexpected
turn of events.
In Medea Res - The technique of beginning a story in the middle of the action, with
background information given later in flashbacks.

3. Flat Plot- is a straight forward chronological plot. Events are made to happen from beginning
to end but without any suspense and crisis along the way.

Evaluating Plot

The customary test of a plot's effectiveness is its unity: the degree to which each episode
bears in some necessary and logical or psychological way upon the resolution of the initial
conflict. In considering a plot's unity, one can also raise question about the plausibility of a given
episode or for that matter about the plausibility of the plot as whole.

Analyzing Plot

The following questions will help you sequence the plot.

1. What are the conflicts in which the plot turns? Are they external, internal or some contribution of the
two?

2. What are the chief episodes or incidents that make-up the plot? Is its development strictly
chronological or the chronology rearranged in some way?

3. Compare the plot's beginning and end. What essential changes have taken place?

4. Describe the plot in terms of its exposition, complication, climax, falling action and resolution.

5. Is the plot unified? Do the individual episodes logically relate to one another?

6. Is the ending appropriate to and consistent with the rest of the plot?

7. Is the plot plausible? What role if any, do chance and coincidence play?
  The Setting is the place and time of a story. It is the location of the story's action. Writers
describe the world they know. Sights, sounds, colors and textures are all vividly painted
in words as the artist paints images on canvass. Writers imagine a story to be happening
in a place that is rooted in their mind. A story happens in a certain place at a certain time,
however, the author frames the action explicitly and implicitly

When creating a setting, the writer also reveals details about the elements of the
environment such as weather, scenery, rooms, local customs, clothing, and dialects. Setting is
created to serve for various functions or purposes.

Uses of Setting

To create a mood;
To inform readers about different ways of life;
To make the action of a literary work seem more real. The vivid details of a setting can
take readers to imaginary or faraway times and places.
To contribute to the conflict, or struggle in a work.
To symbolize, or stand for some idea that the writer wants to emphasize.

In an Explicit Setting, the particular time and locale are stated, readily drawable and may
be written in general statements as:

... Once upon time, in a far away place….

...It was almost midday.....
... At dusk..............
…In January 25, 1988 in Hotel Arisse...

Unlike in an Implicit Setting, time and locale are not specifically stated but rather
embedded in the employed details. It is reflected by the impact of details which are results from
collation of details drawable from the following:

description given by the author to the ambience and to the characters

by the dialogue of the characters
the actions and interactions of characters

The Importance of the Setting

It anchors the story to a place and specifies time.

It gives the story an ambience and atmosphere.
It reflects and helps the character build his/her identity.
It embodies the theme.
It adds an important dimension of meanings.
  Theme is the controlling idea or central insight of a story. It is the underlying or
philosophical idea that the story conveys. In fable, the theme is its moral lesson; in
parables-its teaching and in fiction-its view of life.

Keep In Mind

Fiction is conceptualized not to Teach or to Preach. In fact, the theme is not presented
directly. Theme can be extracted from the characters, actions and setting. In other words, the
reader himself/herself is responsible in figuring out the theme. Writers communicate on a
common ground with the reader. The particulars of experience may be different from the details
of the story but the general underlying truths behind the story can be the connection that both
the writer and the reader are seeking.

Ways to Uncover the Theme in a Story

Check out the title
Notice repeating patterns and symbols.
Look for allusions made throughout the story.
Analyze the details and particulars in the story and ponder on the greater meaning they
may have.

Understanding Theme
The theme, plot and structure are inseparable. They all help in form and they reflect
back on each other. A theme that is determined from a story never completely explains the story.
It is one of the elements that makes up its whole.

Moral vs. Theme. The words moral and theme are not interchangeable. The theme of a
story may be expressed as a moral principle, but usually the idea of a moral is too narrow to be
used as a statement of theme.

The Word Theme is preferable for the following reasons:

1. The objective of most fiction is to provide enjoyment rather than to preach a sermon.

2 In looking for theme-one does not look for a lesson.

3. Interpretative fiction increases awareness of life. Its purpose is not to inculcate a code or set
moral rules but to observe and to provoke.

Theme may be a significant truth or lesson. It can be a national, regional, universal or

personal appeal In effect, a theme may be confronting, castigating, persuasive, or didactic.
Principles of Stating the Theme

1. A theme may be stated briefly or explored in length. A rich story may offer several insights
into life. There is no "right" or set of ways of determining theme. Theme maybe discovered by
examining the following:

changes on the protagonist

what the protagonist learned
the nature of conflicts

2. A theme can be expressed in complete sentences. Single words such as "isolated" or "angry"
are not adequate. A thematic statement presents an idea about the topic.

3. A theme should be stated as a generalization about life, society, or human nature. It should not
be referred to specific characters.

4. The theme generalization should be larger than is justified by the details of the story.

5. Theme is the central unifying concept of a story. It must account for all the details in the story
and not only rely on supposed facts or assumptions from readers' experience.

6. Theme should not be reduced to a cliché (an overused and unoriginal way of expressing an
idea).

7. A theme is not the same as the subject of a work.

8. A theme can be expressed in a couple of words like "Pursuit of Happiness" or “Heartache." It

is typically a unifying idea that is recurrent element in a literary work, or in many literary works.

 Point of View. It is the manner of telling the story. It serves as the story projector. In
fiction, who tells the story and how it is told.

Understanding Point of View

The tone and feel of the story, and even its meaning can change radically depending on
who is telling the story. Someone is always between the reader and the action of the story. That
someone is telling the story from his or her own point of view. This angle of vision, the point of
view from which the people, events and details of a story are viewed is important to consider
when reading a story.
Kinds of Point of View

Objective Point of View-the writer tells what happens without stating more that can be
inferred from the story's action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about
how the characters feel or think. He/She remains a detached observer.

Third Person Point of View-the narrator does not participate in the action of the story as
one of the characters, but knows exactly how the characters feel. He is a mere onlooker
and detached from what he/she sees as happening.(We learn about the characters through
the outside voice.)

First Person Point of View-is also called the "I" point of view. The narrator tells his
story from his point. He himself is involved in the action of the story-a major character,
and his narration is based on his direct experiences with his co-characters. (When reading
stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might
not be the objective truth. We should question the trustworthiness of his/her work.

The All-Knowing or Omniscient Point of View-the narrator tells the story from the
minds of all the characters. He/She has the capability of entering into the mind of every
character.

 The Style

The Style refers to the literary devices that the author used- the language in terms
of choice of words and the manner of presentation. Style varies from one writer to another. The
author's word power and artistry in unfolding the story defines the success of the work.

2. Novel- is a long work of fiction. It contains all the elements of short stories but longer than
short stories. These elements are more developed fully because of its subplots, or independent,
related stories. Novels may have several themes.

Kinds of Novel

Bildungsroman. A novel chronicling the intellectual, spiritual, or moral development of

a young protagonist also known as a coming-of-age novel.

Ex: James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man"

Charles's Dicken's "David Copperfield"

Dystopian. A novel set in an imagined future in an imagined society that purports to be

utopian but is revealed and terrifyingly restrictive and inhuman. The intent is usually to
warn contemporary readers that their own society is in danger of turning8 into this
horrifying future world.
 Ex: Seminal works incllude Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and George
OrwellIs
1984; also Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale, Anthony Burgess's
"A
Clockwork Orange", and George Orwell's"Animal Farm".

Epistolary Novel. A novel whose story is told through letters exchanged by its
characters. This form was especially popular in 1770s.

Ex: Samuel Richardson's "Clarissa"; Alice Walker's "The Color Purple"

Gothic Novel. A genre of literature popular in late 18ty century England. Gothic fiction
features remote landscape, medieval castles, and supernatural experience, all of which
seek to create an atmosphere of suspense and fear. Gothic fiction influenced what we
now call "horror stories"

Ex: Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"

Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre"
Edgar Allan Poe's "Short Stories"

Kunslerroman. A novel portraying the artistic realization or development of a maturing

protagonist. A type of bildungsroman.

Ex: James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man"

Marcel Proust's "Remembrance of Things Past"

Local Color Novel. A work that incorporates cultural details of a particular region-
dialect, mannerisms, thought patterns-to portray a community, often sentimentally.
Frequently includes eccentric characters.

Ex: Kate Chopin's "The Awakening"

Toni Morrison's "Beloved"

Picaresque Novel. A realistic novel detailing the exploits of a scoundrel. The term now
refers to any novel with a colorful, loosely structured, episodic plot that revolves around
the adventures of a central character from A low social class.

Ex: Miguel de Cervantes "Don Quixote"

Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn"

Philosophical Novel. A novel serving as a vehicle to explore philosophical ideas.

Psychological Novel. A novel whose primary focus is on the character's emotions and
internal motivations as they respond to external events.

Ex: Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment”

Henry James' "Portrait of a Lady"
 Roman A Clef. A novel in which a historical people and events are represented as
fictional.

Ex: Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises"

Social Protest. A novel that aims to illuminate and draw attention to contemporary social
problems with the goal of inciting change for the better.

Thesis. (Novel of Ideas) A novel that presents problems and argues in favor of a solution.

Ex: Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin'"

Charles Dickens' "Hard Times"

NON FICTION is prose writing that presents and explains ideas or that tells about real people,
objects, or events. It includes the following:

 Biography. It is a form of non-fiction in which a writer tells the life story of another
person.

 Autobiography. It is a form of nonfiction in which a person tells his or her own life
story.

 Essays. It comes from the French word "essai" which means an attempt. It is a short
nonfiction work about particular subject. Most essays have a single major focus and a
clear introduction, body and conclusion. The essay has two general kinds: the personal or
the informal. The other types which could be either informal or formal depending on the
characteristics peculiar to them are: nature essay, character sketch, biographical sketch,
travelogue, humorous essay, critical essay, didactic essay and journalistic essay.

Gems for the Thought

An essay is essentially thematic. It is written to impart a message. In conveying the
theme, the essayist employs a style that his craftsmanship can command. He employs
techniques that he believes best give form to his essay. A reader must be aware that this
message may be a philosophy, a truth or any revelation about life and the world amounting
either to universal, national, local or personal significance. The reader should determine the
significance of this message. The style of the essayist is shown in his choice of words, sentence
structure, use of philosophical and metaphorical expressions and other language devices.
His/Her techniques can be seen in the structure of the essay from the beginning to end-method
of development used, blending and apportioning of the essential parts and the transition devices
from word to sentence, from sentence to paragraph and from paragraph to composition. It is
therefore important to look into the theme, style and technique of the essay in order to
understand.
Miscellaneous Prose Narratives (Non-fiction)

 Historical Prose (The Chronicle, Diary and the Journal are forms of history.)

In a chronicle-the things recorded are of public significance.

A diary is recording of events of interest to a given individual.
A journal like a diary is a personal recording of events but usually with the idea
that it will be read by others.
A history is written long enough after the events described so that author will
have a proper perspective of the subject.

Other Types of Prose Narratives

 Prose Tale is a collection of legends

 Fable is a narrative based on personified animals as its characters in situations that are
lifelike and usually humorous.
 Allegory it is a story in which characters and events are symbolic than realistic.
 Prose Satire it is a piece of literature which tends to ridicule human follies and vices.
 Letters it is a correspondence between or among people.

Keep In Mind
A Mini Saga is a short story of exactly 50 words.
A Flash Fiction is generally defines as a piece of prose under a thousand words.
A short story comprises prose writing of less than 10,000 to 20-000 words, but typically
more than 500 words.
A story containing between 20,000 and 50,000 words falls into the novella category.
A work of fiction containing more than 50,000 falls squarely into the realm of the novel.

Other Narrative Forms

Graphic Novels and Comic Books present stories told in a combination of sequential
artwork, dialogue and text.
Films, videos and broadcast soap operas have carved out a niche which often parallels
the functionality of prose fiction.
Interactive Fiction is a term for a prose-based genre of computer games, occupies a
small literary niche.
Electronic literature is a developing literary genre meant to be read on a computer
screen, often making use of hypertext.
Chapter Exercises 2.3
Essay Type

Direction: Write a summary of any short story by answering numbers 1-7 on page 29. Make the
necessary addendums.

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